The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-10

ing force OF her tremendous
passion would sweep away reason and
break down reserve.
II love himl love him" she
would cry; "and l shall 20 down to
my grave without love for any other
man"
Old Scalchi, her father, was for a
long time ignorant Of his daughters
wild and unnatural love for the dead
man. When he discovered it his
agony was boundless. Reason and
fearful entreaties failing, he attempt
ed the secret removal of the pulse
less object Of the girls alteration but
in this she defeated him, by
declaring that she would destroy
herself if her idol was taken away.
Never superstitious before, her
mind was now full of morbid unreal
tiles, and she began seeking in the
supernal world means for the restor-
alton of the dead artist TO life, con-
WINGED through the sheer force of
wanting it so that his termination
was possible. She sought all the
warlocks and sibyls and witches in
Rome, in the hope that some Of
them might devise some agency
which would serve her purpose. But
these workers of diablerie sent her
away each time disconsolate and un-
profted. What she asked Of them
was beyond their skill; and when
she had gone the whole round and
had seen them all, hearing from all
the same disbursement, hope died
within her and she despaired Of ever
seeing the eyes Of the dead artist
open.
She sought every obtainable book
on black art, and closely and jealous
ly scanned volume after volume in
pursuit of some clue to what she
wanted. When she had been at this
latter employment for many weeks
and her eyes were red and inhamed
with constantly porting over dull aud
musty pages, she found one brief
little note written on the last fly leaf
of an old dismantled book, which
was minus covers and title page--a
scrawly, misspelled note, apparently
in a womans hand, which gave her
q CLEAN OF hope once more. The
note ran thus:
81 have found that where decay or
waste are not yet upon dead man
that his soul may be recalled by the
woman who loves him, only she must
be sure that in her heart is nothing
but love, since any other feeling
would thwart her and send him from
her past recall. He must lie in her
chamber in white cloth and jewels,
and she must instantly and unswerv-
ingly bend her eyes upon his brow
until"
And here the page was torn and
the balance OF the strange note was
gope-not another word TO tell her
what the order OF the incarnation
was. All through the library she
sought for that missing bit OF paper.
Ii was, truly enough, very small, and
could not at most have contained
more than two lines; but they were
the very lines which she most need
ed, and for their recovery she would
have made any sacrifice which the
most fendish demon Of the Pit
might have exacted.
But il could not be found.
She must 20 on without it, and Of
her woman's wit and her woman 8
love she must guess out and replace
the missing words.
What could they be-what could
have been written on that last and
unobtainable scrapp She turned the
matter over aud over in her mind
weighing first one possibility and
then another, and all the while, so il
seemed to her, getting farther and
farther from the truth. At last she
decided that she would carry out the
direction, so far as they went and
trust the rest to the inspiration Of the
moment.
She informed her father Of her
plans and induced him to have the
cmbalmed mans body placed in her
chamber. The strange, fierce light
in her eyes made old Scalchi fear II
oppose her. lie was certain she was
bereit Of her senses, but he feared
that she would be worse unless she
had her way.
why did / bring this internal
mummy homo with me2" he groaned
In seeking TO study out, by the
means Of il. the ancient's secret art
OF embalming | have robbed my
daughter OF her mind. To benefit
science ! have destroyed her. What
an ending-whata terrible ending "a
all Of my bright hopes, and what q
blind fool | have beenl | should
have seen This danger as soon as il
began, and so ayerred it while there
was time"
The body Of the dead man, covered
with white linen, lay in the girl,
chamber. She placed her diamond
tiara on his head, aud her diamond
necklace she woye in and out through
his yestmeuts. And 50 he lay there
like prince in state, and now b,
looked, more than ever, as II he haC
died but yesterday.
She clothed herself in soft, whit,
silken robes, which were Oriental il
texture and pattern. Her ARM
were bare from the shoulder, an,
her massy black hair hung uncoile,
from her head and swept, like som,
weird, mysterious drapery,. far dow
below her waist, nearly 10 her knees
IL was held back iron her brow b.
a twisted piece Of silver wire.
Old Scalchi, supremely wretched
/ and not daring TO interfere with hi
] unhappy daughter, secreted himsel
where he could observe her orgie
over the dead man. Until then III
old man had never realized hos
beautiful his daughter was; b
doubted II she had been 40 beior
I his return from the tombs Of EypI
4 and xondarad ~ har naasion Tor th